Barrington Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Barrington Historic District

Barrington, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
May 15, 1986
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
86001047

About this property

The Barrington Historic District is a 92-acre (37 ha) historic district in Barrington, Illinois. The district encompasses a residential area in southwest Barrington and is roughly bounded by the Chicago and Northwestern Railway tracks to the north, Dundee Avenue to the west, E. Hillside and W. Coolidge Streets to the south, and S. Spring and S. Grove Streets to the east. The large majority of the district is in Cook County, but about one square block is in Lake County, Illinois. The first settlers to Barrington, Illinois arrived in the 1830s. Barrington and Troy Townships organized in 1850. Barrington is named after Great Barrington, Massachusetts, the origin town of several early settlers. Benjamin Felter owned the original land claim for the south part of the village. Following a connection to the Chicago and North Western in 1854, the land was purchased by A. S. Downs as an investment. Downs sold the land to Robert Campbell, who divided the land for residential and commercial use. The town rapidly expanded and incorporation as Barrington Station followed in 1863. By 1865, the population was approximately 300. The name was changed to Barrington in 1873. The area that became the historic district was designed a typical Midwestern grid. Most of the houses are built from wood, which was locally plentiful. This contributes to the homogeny of the district, despite a variety in architectural motifs. Its development followed a typical pattern of towns that transitioned from rural to suburban. The Barrington Historic District includes the Octagon House, one of the few such houses in the state. The Catlow Theater, which was added later to the NRHP, on West Main St. is just north of the district. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 16, 1986. The houses in the district were mainly built between 1860 and 1930 and were designed in a wide variety of architectural styles, including American Craftsman, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Neoclassical, Queen Anne, and vernacular styles. Despite their differing architectural styles, the houses in the district have many similar characteristics; most of them are built partly or entirely with wood, and nearly all are one-and-one-half to two story buildings set back a similar distance from the street. Almost 80% of the homes in the district are contributing properties to the district's historical significance. The houses represent Barrington's architectural development, and their progression of styles is reflective of prevailing patterns in American architecture from 1860 to 1930.

Location

Barrington, Cook County, Illinois
42.15184, -88.13752

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Barrington Historic District

This page lists Barrington Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Barrington Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Robertson, John, Jr., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Octagon House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Catlow Theatre
Industrial
0.2 mi
Van Hagen, George E., House
Industrial
2.2 mi
Fredrick, Louis, House
Industrial
2.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Langford Tradition Conflict – Chicago Area
1300Pre-Columbian
8.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Barrington Historic District listed on the National Register?

Barrington Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 15, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Barrington Historic District?

Barrington Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Barrington Historic District?

The period of significance for Barrington Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Barrington Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Barrington Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Cook County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Cook County.

Explore CookCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Barrington Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report